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Pierre Robin DR400/100 Cadet, G-FTIN

Summary:

The aircraft was backtracking tarmac Runway 10 at Kirkbride, an airfield which the pilot knew well. He intended to perform a 180º turn to take off on Runway 28; the wind was reportedly from 290º at 10 kt. The pilot stated that, as he positioned the aircraft to the right prior to performing this turn, the right brake started to bind and, despite full left rudder and brake application, he could not prevent the right wing from striking a substantial steel fence post at the side of the runway. The roughly 3 ft 6 in high post formed part of a fence dividing farmland from the airfield and was about 6 ft from the edge of the runway, hidden in tall grass. The aircraft’s wheels had not left the runway.

The company which recovered and dismantled the aircraft for repair did not see any evidence of brake seizure or binding, but were not able to perform a function check of the brake system.